Kyoto

Kyoto Travel BLOG presented by Jamri Photography and James Clarke.
Kyoto was the capital city of Japan from 794-1869. It is a place where ancient traditions meet modern technology. Famous for it's vast arrays of Buddhist Temples, Shinto Shrines, Palaces, Traditional Houses, Kimonos, Arts, Crafts, Tofu, Green Tea, and Geisha. It also has some amazing modern buildings. A number of High Technology companies have their Headquarters in Kyoto such as Omron, Rohm Semiconductor, Kyocera, Murata Manufacturing, and Nintendo.
My aim is to provide you with images and information to help you make the most out of your visit to Kyoto. I also hope show the beauty of the different seasons in Kyoto to inspire you to come again to this wonderful city.
I have lived in Kyoto prefecture since 2008. Prior to my move here, I visited Kyoto as a tourist in 1998, 2005, 2006 & 2007. While the majority of the photos I'm planning to post will come from 2008 onwards, occasionally I'll post some older photos.
Please note the Kyoto watermark will NOT appear on any Prints, Digital Stock or Gifts purchased. You are welcome to link to these images on your own BLOGS as long as they appear in the form they are displayed on this site with the watermark clearly shown to acknowledge where it comes from. If you wish to alter these images or display them without watermarks on your websites you MUST purchase digital stock.

The main parade of the giant floats for the Gion Matsuri, is held in the morning of July 17th each year. Traditionally there were two parade days July 17th and 24th. This year for the first time in 56 years the second parade has been restored, along with the light ups on the three nights leading up to the parade. So if you missed it last week you have another chance to see it (although a cut down version of it) this week.
There are two types of floats used in the parades. There are 11 larger "Hoko" (also pronounced "Boko") floats which are 25m high and weigh 12,000kg! They require about 30-40 people to pull them along during the parade. There are 22 smaller "Yama" floats which are 6m high, they weigh 1200-1600kg and require 14-24 people to pull, push or carry them.
This parade takes place during probably the worst time of the year for the combination of heat and humidity. It was bad enough just photographing the parade from a shady spot, spare a thought for the people pulling, pushing or carrying the floats in their traditional costumes!
The main parade takes place in the streets of downtown Kyoto on July 17th (and from this year also July 24th). On July 17th the first float sets off from near Shijo Station at 9:00am it goes up Shijo dori and then turns left on to Kawaramachi dori, then heading to Oike dori and turning left on to that street. The float completes it's course at Shinmachi dori after about 2 and a half hours. The floats set off on the course about 5 minutes apart. On July 17th there are 10 Hoko floats and 13 Yama floats. On July 24th the course is the reverse, but there will only be one Hoko float, and 9 Yama floats.
I recommend arriving early if you want a good vantage point. Bring plenty of water to drink too. The train stations along the route include Karasuma and Kawaramachi on the Hankyu Railway, Karasuma Oike and Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae on the Subway Tozai line, and Shijo Karasuma and Karasuma Oike on the Subway Karasuma line. Also not far from the parade route are Sanjo and Gion Shijo stations on the Keihan railway.
This this photo was captured in with a Nikon D700 and an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. This the jpeg file straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

In a previous BLOG entry titled "An Evening in Ponto-cho", I mentioned about the expensive restaurants along the Ponto-cho alley. During the warmer months of the year, the restaurants on the river side of Ponto-cho allow dinning on open air platforms overlooking the Kamogawa (Kamo river). If you can afford the prices of these places, it would make for a very special evening during your visit to Kyoto.
However if you can't afford the prices of these places you could do what many do and buy some take away food and sit down on the bank of the Kamogawa. Just as some people are doing in the background on this photo. It's a good way to relax and take in the atmosphere of Kyoto on a warm night.
Access to Ponto-cho is pretty easy, it's just to the west of the bridge over the Kamo River on Shijo Dori on the north side of the road. The bridge is very close to the Hankyu Kawamachi and the Keihan Gion Shijo train stations. Public access to the river bank is via a stairway just near the entrance to Ponto-cho on Shijo-dori.
If you're anywhere near Kyoto at the moment or over the next few days, make sure you come to Kyoto. The festivities of the month long Gion Matsuri will have one of the highlights this coming week. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights the streets will be closed to vehicle traffic and the floats for the 1st Parade will be lit up with lanterns. There will also be a number of traditional food stalls set up on the streets. Midday this coming Thursday (July 17th) will be the 1st Parade. Then evenings from July 21st-23rd the streets will be closed to vehicle traffic at night as the floats for the 2nd Parade are lit up. The 2nd Parade will be on July 24th. This is definitely the best festival in Kyoto, so don't miss it.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens. This the jpeg file straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

Tanabata is a festival which is inspired by an Japanese adaptation of a traditional Chinese folk story of two heavenly lovers. These lovers are represented by the stars Vega and Altair. The star Vega is called "Orihime" in Japanese, which means "The Weaving Princess". The star Altair is called "Hikoboshi", which means "Cow Herder Star". According to the story when these two stars married they forgot about weaving and cow herding and this angered Orihime's father, who separated them by the Milky Way (called in Japanese "Amanogawa" lit. "heavenly river"). The princess was so saddened by this, that eventually her father allowed them to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month.
Originally this festival was celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th month in the Japanese lunisolar calendar, but now many places in Japan (including in Kyoto) celebrate it on July 7th of the Gregorian calendar. However, there are still some places in Japan that celebrate it according to the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar.
It said that if it rains on Tanabata the lovers won't meet that year. Unfortunately the move to the Gregorian calendar places the festival in the summer rainy season, meaning there's a high chance of it raining. The 7th day of the 7th month in the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar falls some time in August on the Gregorian calendar (exact Gregorian date varies each year) which is a drier time of the year.
There are various kinds of decorations that are put up for Tanabata. In Kyoto these normally go up on July 1st and stay up until about July 9th. One popular activity for young children, is to write wishes with permanent markers on coloured plastic strips which are placed on bamboo branches. This photo was taken on the Saigokukaido a traditional highway that ran between Osaka and Kyoto, there are still parts of it remaining. Unfortunately each year one or two of the traditional houses along it are knocked down and replaced with modern ones, so I wonder just how much longer we can enjoy this traditional scenery.
This this photo was captured in with a Nikon D700 and an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. No post processing has been done on this image.

Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine is a small Shinto Shrine in the heart of Kyoto's downtown. While walking along the Shinkyogoku Arcade in the evening it is hard to miss its beautifully lit up entrance. The lantern clad gate on the eastern side of the arcade is actually the inner gate of this Shrine. The outer torii style gate spans Nishiki dori to the west between the Shinkyogoku Arcade and the Teramachi Arcade.
In the heart of Kyoto city, like most of the large cities in Japan space is very limited, so there are a number of temples and shrines, positioned tightly between shops and office buildings. Not all of them are as easy to find as Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine though. As you explore Kyoto city you might spot a beautiful little temple or shrine in some place you weren't expecting one. In the Shinkyogoku Arcade there are also two Buddhist temples, one is not so hard to spot, the other is quite difficult unless you're looking carefully.
Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine is a good spot to start or finish your explorations of the Nishiki Markets. In addition both Shinkyogoku and Teramachi Arcades are fascinating places to explore, especially if you haven't explored Japanese Shopping Arcades before. In general Shinkyogoku has the cheaper shops and Teramachi the more upmarket shops, however both have lots of cheap places to eat.
Nishiki Tenmangu is about a 5 minute walk from the Hankyu Kawamachi Station and about a 10 minute walk from the Keihan Gion-Shijo Station. Alternatively if you want to explore the Nishiki Markets first, then get off at Hankyu Karasuma Station or the Subway's Shijo-Karasuma Station on the Karasuma Line. The start of the Nishiki Markets are about a 5min walk from those stations.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. This the jpeg file straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

There were a few candidates for the flower of the month for July, these included Sunflowers and Liliums. Although Sunflowers are popular, they are a more recent import to Japan, and I can't recall seeing them in traditional settings. The only reason I avoided Liliums is that I don't have any photos of them that fit my requirements for this BLOG (something I must try to rectify).
The Lotus flowers are in bloom from late June through to early August, with the peak being in late July. This flower was photographed at Mimuroto-ji (a Buddhist Temple) in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, which is a good spot for seeing Lotuses in Kyoto and you can get really close to the flowers. Another good spot for seeing Lotuses is at Houkoungou-in (a Buddhist Temple) in the Hanazono area of Kyoto City. However many Buddhist Temple, Shinto Shrines, and Parks have water features with a least a few Lotuses. So keep your eye out for them in Kyoto during July.
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. I believe there are also buses which take you pretty much to the front gate of Mimuroto-ji from the JR Obaku Station on the JR Nara line. However that JR station is more than twice as far from Mimuroto-ji, so unless you really want the exercise don't plan walking from there. I'm not sure on the bus schedules, I've either walked from Keihan's Mimorodo station or gotten a ride there with a friend. There doesn't seem to be any taxi stands around Keihan's Mimorodo station, the best spot for getting a taxi would probably be from Keihan's Uji station which is a 1.8km trip, so it shouldn't cost anymore than the flag fall (usually it covers you for the first 2km). In the busy times I've seen taxis waiting outside the gate of Mimuroto-ji, but in the off season you might need to get the people at the temple ticket office to help you call for one if you don't speak Japanese.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D lens with a circular polarising filter. In iPhoto I cropped, increased the contrast and decreased the highlights of this image. Here's a link to the original jpeg from the camera if you want to compare.

Ginkaku-ji (otherwise known as "The Temple of the Silver Pavilion") is one of Kyoto's most famous temples. There are a few theories as to why it is called "Silver" since there is no silver coating on the pavilion. One theory is that it was originally planned to be coated in silver, but the person building it ran out of money. Another theory is that because the pavilion looks similar to the one a Kinkaku-ji ("The Temple of the Golden Pavilion"), but since it isn't coated in gold like that one, it was nicked named "Silver". A third theory of the origin of the name comes from the silver coloured rock garden which can be seen in today's photograph.
Even though prior to taking this photograph I had been to Kinkaku-ji four times, that day was my first visit to Ginkaku-ji. I remember the day being a very hot, humid and sunny day, as we can get in late June. I also discovered that day the neighbourhood of Ginkaku-ji, it has many varied and affordable restaurants, probably because it's near Kyoto University.
Most Kyoto travel guides tell you to catch a bus all the way from Kyoto station to Ginkaku-ji, don't do that unless you want to spend half your time in Kyoto sitting on a cramped bus slowly chugging it's way through Kyoto's traffic! Here's the fast way: catch a train on the Keihan Main Line to Demachiyanagi; take the exit which goes to the north side of Imadegawa Dori (outside of Shojoin temple); catch a bus from there heading east; it's about a 2.4km bus trip from there in a not so busy part of Kyoto. It's also possible from near Ginkaku-ji to get buses which head west along Imadegawa Dori to places like Kitano Temangu Shrine and Kinkaku-ji on a not so congested route, or you can go from those places to Ginkaku-ji by bus.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. The only edits I applied to this photo was to crop it and tone down the highlights.

Thinking about things to see during the rainy season? The dark skies and reflections on the wet path ways, seem to add more atmosphere to Fushimi-Inari-Taisha (Fushimi-Inari Shrine). I've now been on both a rainy early Summer's day and a sunny late Winter's day, each had it's own beauty and photographic challenges. The former had very low light requiring high iso and a wide aperture setting. The later was tricky to get the exposure right with the high contrasts between the highlights and the shadows.
What ever time of the year you visit Kyoto, Fushimi-Inari-Taisha will probably be one of the most memorable places. There is plenty to see making it worth spending a few hours or even the whole day, wandering around the extensive pathways. However, if you're on a tight schedule you could see the most popular parts of it in about 30mins.
There are two railway stations very close to the shrine. Inari station on the JR Nara line, is useful if you're coming from the Kyoto Station area, or connecting from the myriad of other JR trains which stop at Kyoto Station. Fushimi Inari station on the Keihan Main Line is useful if you're coming from downtown Kyoto or Osaka.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens. No post processing has been done on this image.

Here's a shot which was taken in the rainy season, but it's a little more abstract than what I normally post to this BLOG. During the rainy season the rice fields are full of water and as you go past these you can here the sounds of frogs singing. It's a good thing to hear the frogs. I've heard in some other countries you can't hear the frogs, because the rice has been sprayed with chemicals which also kills the frogs. I'm not sure I'd want to be eating rice from those countries.
The rainy season this year has been drier than usual, well around this part of Japan anyway. We've had just a few rainy days this month. Normally it rains four or five days in a week during the rainy season. The weather hasn't been so hot either, although the end of May and beginning of June were hotter than usual. It's not a good thing for the rice growing, or for the hydrangeas either.
I've just finished a very busy three weeks of work. I have a quieter week coming up, before another busy fortnight at the beginning of July. Hopefully I can take some photos and post a few more BLOGs over the next week.
This photo was taken in a rice field behind the Den Yakiniku Restaurant in Nagaokakyo city, Kyoto prefecture. Den Yakiniku is on Suntory Dori not far from the new Hankyu Nishiyama-Tennozan station. However at the time I took this photo, that station didn't exist.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens. No post processing has been done on this image.

For today's photo I'm not posting something seasonal. Rather it is a photo that I took in March of 2009 in the Ponto-cho Alley in Kyoto city. Actually, I meant to post this photo a good while ago, but for some reason other photos kept jumping ahead of it in the queue! It was taken on the same evening as a photo I posted in January. Actually these photos from the same alleyway show two very different views of Kyoto. That's the thing that's so amazing about Kyoto and also pretty much so about Japan, there's so many different "Little World's" you can find. There's always something to get the creative juices flowing what ever your creative outlet may be.
Whatever time of the year you visit Kyoto, an early evening's walk along Ponto-cho will make for a memorable experience. You never know, you may even pass a Geisha hurrying along to her next appointment, as there are a number of tea houses along Ponto-cho where Geisha entertain clients. At the same time there are all sorts of other cafes, bars and restaurants along the alley, with varied and colourfully lit up signs.
Access to Ponto-cho is pretty easy, it's just to the west of the bridge over the Kamo River on Shijo Dori on the north side of the road. The bridge is very close to the Hankyu Kawamachi and the Keihan Gion Shijo train stations.
This photo was taken with a Nikon F80 camera and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens on Fujicolor PRO400 film (my favourite nighttime film). Compared to the original scan I got back from the development shop, this version is cropped to 4:3 ratio. No other adjustments have been made.

For this BLOG we return to Mimuroto-ji for another Hydrangea photo. This place is truly one of the best Hydrangea spots in Kyoto. It's a very popular spot also. Usually the Hydrangeas are at their best at Mimuroto-ji in the second half of June, so place it in your itinerary if you're coming to Kyoto in the next few weeks.
This is the last of the Hydrangea photos from previous years that I'm planning to feature this month. If I get some good Hydrangea photos this month I may post them here. For the rest of the month as I get time (it's a rather busy month work wise), I'm planning to post some general Kyoto photos and some other rainy season shots.
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. See 2 blog entries down "June's Flower is the Hydrangea" for more transport options for Mimuroto-ji.
This photo was taken from the lowest part of the Hydrangea garden looking up. It was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D lens. In iPhoto I cropped and straightened the image. Additionally I darkened the highlights and increased the definition.

Yokoku-ji (aka "Yanagidani Kannon") is a small, but authentic Buddhist temple located in the Nishiyama Mountain Range in Nagaokakyo city in Kyoto Prefecture. It sits about 3km south of the more famous Yoshimine-dera, but it has a completely different access point.
Why do I call it authentic, because out of all of the temples I've visited in Kyoto Prefecture, this has to be one of the least touristy. The time I visited this place was during a Matsuri (festival), but even then it still had a very local feel about the place. In the warm weather, it's a great place to get a little bit of relief from the heat due to it's high elevation. It is a beautiful little temple complex to stroll around, and it even has a nice spot where you can sit down and observe carp swimming in a very tastefully designed pond and garden.
Youkoku-ji is also a great place to see hydrangeas in bloom. During the hydrangea season (late June) there are shuttle buses from JR Nagaokakyo and Hankyu Nagaoka Tenjin stations. There are also shuttle buses going there during the autumn colour change season (mid to late November). At other times of the year the only way to get there is by taxi (cheaper from the Hankyu station) or private transport. Some of my friends say they've pushed their bicycles up the mountain road and then coasted back down after visiting the temple. I guess if you're adventurous and know enough Japanese, you might even try hitch hiking there, which is pretty safe in Japan. The road that goes to the temple is called Yanagidani Michi, it starts from the western end of Azalea Dori, which is just north of the Hankyu station.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. No post processing has been done on this image.

June is the time of the rainy season, but don't let that stop you from enjoying Kyoto. The rainy days tend to be cooler, around 25C or less, but the humidity is very high. Make sure you a have a water proof camera or some way of protecting it from the rain, if you intent taking photos on rainy days. While it doesn't rain everyday of the rainy season, some times it can rain for 2 or 3 days non stop. However if you get a sunny day in June, if the humidity doesn't drop by much, you'll be wishing for the rainy days again!
What truly makes the rainy season special though, are the hydrangeas that thrive in these conditions. While there are many Hydrangeas (known in Japanese as "Ajisai") blooming around Kyoto in June, one of the best places in Kyoto prefecture to see a large variety of them is at Mimuroto-ji (a Buddhist Temple) in Uji city which is just south of Kyoto city. There are literally thousands of Hydrangeas in the gardens of Mimuroto-ji of diverse kinds and colours.
Given that this temple is known for it's Hydrangeas it can be very crowded in June, especially if it's not raining. However with the crowds come the temporary stalls that set up outside the temple, meaning you don't have to go far to get snacks or drinks, actually there's even a (rather overpriced) cafe inside the gardens.
During the Hydrangea blooming there are some special night openings of this temple, normally the temple closes at 4pm. I've not yet been to a night opening, because I'm usually teaching English classes at night, but I believe the Hydrangeas are lit up beautifully. Expect it to be very crowded though!
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. I believe there are also buses which take you pretty much to the front gate of Mimuroto-ji from the JR Obaku Station on the JR Nara line. However that JR station is more than twice as far from Mimuroto-ji, so unless you really want the exercise don't plan walking from there. I'm not sure on the bus schedules, I've either walked from Keihan's Mimorodo station or gotten a ride there with a friend. There doesn't seem to be any taxi stands around Keihan's Mimorodo station, the best spot for getting a taxi would probably be from Keihan's Uji station which is a 1.8km trip, so it shouldn't cost anymore than the flag fall (usually it covers you for the first 2km). In the busy times I've seen taxis waiting outside the gate of Mimuroto-ji, but in the off season you might need to get the people at the temple ticket office to help you call for one if you don't speak Japanese.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. No post processing has been done on this image.

Kibune is a small town in a forested valley to the north of Kyoto city. It's a great place to escape the city and enjoy the fresh leaves in May, find relief from the heat in Summer, and see the autumn colours from late October. The town is famous for Kifune Jinja (a Shinto Shrine) and the traditional restaurants which in the summer set up seating on platforms over the river running through the town. Dining on these platforms over the river is known as "kawadoko" in Japanese.
Kibune also a popular starting or ending point for climbing Mount Kurama. If you want to have a hot spring bath after your climb, it's best to do the climb from Kibune and end at Kurama, as the hot springs are in Kurama. If you want to have a meal after your climb then end in Kibune as there are more dining options in Kibune.
The main way of accessing Kibune is via the Eizan Railway. The nearest station is Kibune-guchi. To get to the Eizan Railway catch the Keihan Main Line all the way to it's Kyoto terminus at Demachiyanagi where you can transfer to the Eizan Railway.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. No post processing has been done on this image.

Atago-jinja (Atago Shrine) is a Shinto shrine near the top of Atagoyama (Mount Atago) which is the tallest mountain in Kyoto. According to Shinto belief this shrine enshrines the spirit of Atago Gongen, followers believe this spirit protects Kyoto against fire. According to the wikipedia article on Atago Gongen this spirit is a Shinto version of the Buddhist god Jizo.
One of the things that you'll notice as you approach the main shrine building at Atago-jinja is the black torii (Shinto Shrine Gate). Normally torii are either unpainted or painted vermillion, it's very rare to find torii that are painted in other colours.
To get to Atago-jinja you need to climb Mount Atago. From the nearest bus stop (and nearest road which cars can go on) it is about a 5 hour return hike. It's not a particularly difficult trail, but you should be reasonably fit to make the climb. There's also a warning sign at the start of the trail to make sure you have enough time to return before sunset, as there are no lights on the trail. There are some places with steep drops to the side of the triail.
Mid to late Spring or Mid Autumn is probably the best time to climb Atago. In Summer you may get dehydrated or have a heat stroke. In late autumn, winter, and early spring you'll have to deal with cold conditions and possibly snow and ice.
There aren't too many buses going out to the start of the trail, so it's best you check first. Some buses run all the way from Kyoto Station, but it takes about two hours. All of the buses to Atago stop at or near the Hankyu Arashiyama, Keifuku Arashiyama and the JR Saga-Arashiyama train stations. It's about 30mins or less by bus to the Atago trail from these train stations. I've hiked to the start of the trail once from the Hankyu Arashiyama station and once from the JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, it takes about an hour.
This photo was taken with a Nikon P7100 camera. No post processing has been done on this image.

Kurama-dera (Kurama Temple) is located on Kurama-yama (Mount Kurama) to the north of Kyoto city. It is possible to get a cable car from near the base of this mountain up to near the temple, but when I went there I walked up the stairs. There was plenty to see along the way. Actually it's best to Hike from Kurama Station to Kibune Station as there are a number of things to see along the route.
The Lonely Planet's Kyoto Guide (3rd Edition) states about Kurama-dera "This mountain top temple is a perfect escape from the city". However on the day that I took this photo it was very crowded because of the Golden Week holidays, so avoid going there on Golden Week if you can. The same guide also recommends using the cable car (although they call it a "tram") if the weather is hot.
In addition to the buildings, the almost mountaintop location of the temple precinct offers some great views. Even if you get the cable car, it's worth climbing the little bit further up to the top of Mount Kurama for a fantastic view of the surrounding area.
The main way of accessing Kurama-dera is via the Eizan Railway. The nearest station is Kurama. To get to the Eizan Railway catch the Keihan Main Line all the way to it's Kyoto terminus at Demachiyanagi where you can transfer to the Eizan Railway.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. No post processing has been done on this image.

Another BLOG another statue. This one is of Murasaki Shikibu the author of "The Tale of Genji" considered to be the world's oldest novel. There are many sites in the Kyoto area which are locations in the story. This statue of Murasaki is located near the bank of the Uji river, in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture. This statue marks the location of the start of the 10 Uji chapters in the story. Please check out the following website for more information: www.uji-genji.jp/en/genji/
Visiting Murasaki statue and then on to Byodo-in (a famous temple) is a great way to start your own explorations of Uji city, a beautiful part of Kyoto which is often overlooked by tourist. While you're there make sure you try the Ujicha (the local green tea).
Both the JR and Keihan railways have regular services to Uji. On JR the station is called "Uji" and it is on the JR Nara line, the northern terminus for this line is at Kyoto station. So it's convenient to use this line if you're coming from the Kyoto station area, the line also has stops near a couple of famous sites in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto. The station on the Keihan railway is also called "Uji", this station is the terminus of the Keihan Uji line, the other end of the Uji line is at Chushojima station in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto where you can transfer to/from the Keihan Main line which is convenient if you're coming from or going to downtown Kyoto. Chushojima station is close to a famous traditional neighbourhood.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D80 camera and it's kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135 f/3.5-5.6G lens. This is the jpeg straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

The origins of the Tengu are mysterious. Tengu are said to be creatures that live in the mountains and have special powers. Various Japanese martial arts are believed to have been first taught to people by the Tengu. Who are the Tengu? Are they some kind of alien or supernatural being? Or a caricature of a group of people who may have migrated to Japan long ago and settled in the mountains. Some believe that the Tengu might be members of a lost tribe of Israel that may have made their way to Japan, see this video for more information.
Regardless of their origins, there are some fascinating places in Japan that are connected to them. One such place is where this photo was taken in Kurama, which is in the mountains to the North of Kyoto city. This particular Tengu statue is right near the Kurama Station on the Eizan Railway. This place is a good location to start or end your Tengu adventure and this time of year the weather is perfect for hiking.
Some people like to start at Kurama and hike over the mountains to Kibune, while others like to go the opposite way. Whichever way you go, you'll see beautiful natural scenery, plus interesting old shrines and temples along the way. The towns of Kurama and Kibune are also quite scenic themselves. Spring and Autumn are the best times to hike in this area.
The main way of accessing this area is via the Eizan Railway. There are stations at Kibune and Kurama. To get to the Eizan Railway catch the Keihan Main Line all the way to it's Kyoto terminus at Demachiyanagi where you can transfer to the Eizan Railway.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. No post processing has been done on this image.

Early May is the time to see the azaleas in bloom in Kyoto and one of the best azalea gardens in Kyoto is the one at Mimuroto-ji in Uji city in the south of Kyoto Prefecture. Not only are there beautiful azaleas to see but there are some other gardens and some interesting temple buildings to see as well.
Mimuroto-ji is a great place to visit in three different flowering seasons: Firstly the azaleas in early May, secondly the Hydrangeas in mid June and thirdly the Lotuses in late July to early August. The Hydrangea season is probably the busiest time to visit. Outside of those flowering seasons, it's very quiet and peaceful and there's still plenty to photograph. So it's worth visiting if you have a couple of hours to spare while you're visiting Uji.
Mimuroto-ji is a 16 minute walk from Mimurodo station on the Keihan Uji Line. I believe there are also buses which take you pretty much to the front gate of Mimuroto-ji from the JR Obaku Station on the JR Nara line. However that JR station is more than twice as far from Mimuroto-ji, so unless you really want the exercise don't plan walking from there. I'm not sure on the bus schedules, I've either walked from Keihan's Mimorodo station or gotten a ride there with a friend. There doesn't seem to be any taxi stands around Keihan's Mimorodo station, the best spot for getting a taxi would probably be from Keihan's Uji station which is a 1.8km trip, so it shouldn't cost anymore than the flag fall (usually it covers you for the first 2km). In the busy times I've seen taxis waiting outside the gate of Mimuroto-ji, but in the off season you might need to get the people at the temple ticket office to help you call for one if you don't speak Japanese.
Another thing to be aware of is that the temple closes at 4pm, except during the Hydrangea season when there are special night openings. Make sure you get there by about 2pm to give yourself ample time to see the place.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D80 camera and it's kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135 f/3.5-5.6G lens. This is the jpeg straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

It was almost a tie for May's flower between Azaleas and Irises, however since the former start their bloom in April and usually finish early in May, I went for the later which more often bloom towards the middle of the month. It might be that May (once Golden Week is over) is one of my most busiest work wise, that photoing Irises, especially a lot of them in one place, had been a bit elusive to me until last year.
I took this photo at (as you might have guessed, if you've been following this BLOG for a while) Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine, it's just one of those places that almost aways has something seasonal to see. Also given my usual busyness in May, it's a place close enough to me that I don't need to have half a day free to make the trip. Speaking of busyness my teaching schedule looks very tight from mid next week until mid July, so I'm not sure I'll have time for too many BLOGs. Nice to have 6 days off during Golden Week, but then there's almost no breaks until mid July!
In mid May to see the Irises at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine in Nagaokakyo city, Kyoto Prefecture you'll need to head to the back pond. To get to the back pond from the biggest Torii (shrine gate) head across the centre walkway over the main pond. Then go on the right side walkway to the Gazebo. At the Gazebo turn left and keep walking and you'll come to the back pond. There are Irises on both sides of the walkway over the back pond. The back pond is also a good place to see Lotuses in late July to mid August.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens with a circular polarising filter. The only edit made to the image from the camera was to crop some of the top and right of the image, because I found those parts of it a bit distracting.

While the Kirishima Azaleas are in bloom at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine (which to the best of my knowledge are blooming now) there is a special light up of lanterns down the middle part of the pathway across the pond. At other times of of the year the middle part of the path across the pond is not open, only the right and left parts are.
I took this photo in 2010, it was taken during the light up, but probably a few days before the Azaleas peaked. It was one of the last photos I took with the Nikon D80 before selling it.
In addition to the Nikon D80 camera, I also used it's kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135 f/3.5-5.6G lens, a tripod, a remote shutter release and a torch to make this image. The torch was used to paint the flowers with a bit of extra light. Even then it was a pretty dark exposure, so it required some post processing to brighten it. The version I've posted here is a recent edit I made with the GIMP using it's retinex algorithm to brighten up the dark areas. I'm pretty happy with this edit as being very near to what I had in mind when I captured this image.

During my first year living in Kyoto, I'd often take a morning's walk in the park at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine in Nagaokakyo city, Kyoto Prefecture. Through the course of the year I would see different things in flower there. One of the things that this park is most famous for, are the red Kirishima Azaleas which flower there just before the regular Azaleas do, which is usually around the last week of April.
Across the centre of the pond at the park, there's a walkway with some huge bushes of Kirishima Azaleas on it. Actually I think the bushes on the walkway are registered with the national government as a important cultural assets or something like that. Anyway while it's in bloom people flock from miles around, even loads of tour buses come to see it. However, most people come during the middle of the day, so if you go early in the morning, you can enjoy it without the crowds.
Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine is about a 5 minute walk west of Nagaoka Tenjin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line. If you're one who insist on always using JR trains, then the nearest JR Station is Nagaokakyo, but from there you'll need to catch a bus or a taxi.
While you're at the shrine, check out the Turkish Cafe (website in Japanese) and Turkish Goods Shop (website in Japanese) that are in the grounds. Tell them that James sent you.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D80 camera and it's kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135 f/3.5-5.6G lens. This is the jpeg straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

Weeping Cherry (Japanese "Shidarezakura") seem to stay in bloom for a while longer after the Somei-Yoshino Sakura (the most common kind) have lost their flowers. It was during such a time on my 2nd visit to Kyoto, long before moving here, that I came across this tree at Reihibyou Shrine which is near Tenryu-ji (a famous Zen Buddhist Temple) in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
Reihibyou Shrine is just to the right of Tenryu-ji if your heading from the Arashiyama town centre. The nearest train station is the Keifuku Railway's Arashiyama station, but it's only about 10-15 minute walk from either the Hankyu Railway's Arashiyama station or JR's Saga-Arashiyama station.
Entry to Reihibyou Shrine is free, but entry to the world heritage listed Tenryu-ji isn't. It definitely worth seeing Tenryu-ji if you're in the area, unless it's autumn colour season and your time is limited, then I'd recommend you head straight for Jojakko-ji.
This photo was taken with a Sanyo VPC-AZ1. This is the straight from the camera jpeg file, no post processing has been done on this image.

Although Sakura season is over for another year, I'd like to share with you all this shot from one of the best Sakura viewing spots in Kyoto, if not all of Kansai. It was taken last year (2013) at the Sewari Park Sakura Tunnel which is on a narrow stretch of land between two rivers (the Kizugawa and Ujigawa) in Yawata city, Kyoto Prefecture. These rivers join up with the Katsuragawa in the same area to form the mighty Yodogawa which flows all the way down to Osaka.
The Sakura tunnel is about 1.5km long, here's a shot from the inside of the tunnel. On each side of the tunnel there is plenty of green grass to sit on for a picnic. While the Sakura are in bloom it can get pretty crowded, especially around midday. There are also a number of temporary shops where you can try all kinds of food or buy some handcrafts. There are even some buskers performing there at certain times of the day.
The easiest way to get to Sewari Park is via Keihan Railway's Yawatashi station. The park is only about a 5 minute walk from the station. However if you're staying nearby why not cycle there via one of the cycle ways along the rivers. There's plenty of space to park bicycles and it's free to do so. Car parking on the other hand costs 1000yen for the day, and the traffic is pretty heavy in the area during the Sakura season, so I wouldn't recommend driving there.
While you're in the area consider checking out the nearby Otokoyama (Mount Otoko) where you can get a good view of the tunnel and see the ancient Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu (a Shinto shrine).
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D with a circular polarising filter. No post processing has been done on this image.

When the Sakura are in bloom, many temples, shrines and even some castles have special light ups. This photo is from one that I went to on the first Sakura season after my move to Kyoto. This light up was at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine, in Nagaokakyo city, in Kyoto Prefecture. It's not too far from downtown Kyoto city (15mins by regular train). While not as famous as some of the light ups in Kyoto city, there were still plenty of people in attendance.
As you may have guess I have a particular fondness for this spot, as its expansive gardens always seem to have something in flower at almost any time of the year. The one flower that draws the biggest crowds to Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine is the Kirishima Azalea which blooms towards the end of April. There is a rather large hedge of this flower at this Shrine which is a national treasure. I'm planning to write a blog about it later this month.
Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine is about a 5 minute walk west of Nagaoka Tenjin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line. If you're one who insist on always using JR trains, then the nearest JR Station is Nagaokakyo, but from there you'll need to catch a bus or a taxi.
While you're at the shrine, check out the Turkish Cafe (website in Japanese) and Turkish Goods Shop (website in Japanese) that are in the grounds. Tell them that James sent you.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D80 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens mounted on a tripod. This photo has been post processed in iPhoto. The shadows were brightened, the highlights darkened and the definition increased. It was also cropped.

Shirakawa-minami Dori is regarded by many as Kyoto's prettiest street. I think it's best during the Sakura blossoming time, especially when the flowers are lit up in the evening. However it's a great place to visit anytime of the year, although before 11am it's pretty quiet and many of the shops are shuttered up.
It's also a place where you may spot a genuine Geisha (rather than just a tourist paying to dress up as one). They'll either be visiting the Shrine (known as "Tatsumi-jinja") at the eastern end of the street or on their way to entertain clients at one of the expensive establishments along the street. Either way you'll need to be fast on the shutter button to catch a photo of them, as the real ones don't stop to pose for tourists.
Other than Geisha, it's also a popular spot for wedding photos, so you may be able to see a Japanese couple dressed in traditional Shinto wedding attire, especially on weekends. I've also met people there who dress up in Kimono as a hobby, congregating there just to look the part. Make sure you visit Shirakawa-minami Dori during your stay in Kyoto, it's an unforgettable experience.
Most of the restaurants along Shirakawa-minami Dori are pretty expensive, but worth considering if you want the authentic Kyoto high class dining experience. For those on a tight budget there is at least one cafe on the street with reasonable prices or just bring a bento and sit down under the big red umbrellas at the western end of the street.
Shirakawa-minami Dori is in Gion. The western end of the street is near the Kamo River (Kamogawa) between Gion Shijo and Sanjo stations on the Keihan line. It's also not far from Kawaramachi station on the Hankyu line or the Sanjo Keihan station on the Subway Tozai line.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 50f/1.8D lens. This is the jpeg straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

The Sakura was a "no brainer" as the choice for April's flower, since most people associate the Sakura especially the Somei-Yoshino variety with Japan. In Kyoto early April is the best time to see them, actually this year they peaked around April 1st. The peak of the bloom is called "Mankai" in Japanese.
This photo was taken at Nanzen-ji (a Zen Buddhist Temple on the Eastern side of Higashiyama) during the spring of 2010. Lonely Planet's Kyoto Guide (3rd Edition) says about Nanzen-ji "In a city of temples, this stands out as a beauty". For me it's definitely a place worth visiting any time of the year, Nanzen-ji doesn't ever seem to be as crowded as the places on the Western side of Higashiyama.
If you're in Kyoto at the moment get out and shoot those Sakura while they're still in bloom. It won't be long until the leaves come out and the Sakura all fall away for another year. I'm planning a few more Sakura photos for the next few post to this blog.
Nanzen-ji is about a 10min walk from Keage station on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai Line. There are a number of good traditional restaurants in the area. While you're in the neighbourhood of Nanzen-ji check out the red brick aqueduct, it makes a good backdrop for portrait shots.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D80 camera and it's kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135 f/3.5-5.6G lens. This is the jpeg straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

The Higashiyama Hanatouro is over for another year. The next Hanatouro will be the Arashiyama Hanatouro in December, the exact dates for that event have not been published yet. Here's a photo taken at this years Higashiyama Hanatouro just over a week ago. It is the gate of Chion-in (A Buddhist Temple). I didn't go in, because I had already spent over an hour at Sho-ren-in and then some more time taking photos of things in between, so I guess getting a photo of the inside of the Hanatouro lights will have to wait until next year.
Chion-in is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Higashiyama Station on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai line. I went there in the day once and it's a very nice place to see by day. It's a pretty sprawling temple complex with a long stairway to climb at the beginning. It belongs to the popular (in Japan, but not so well know outside of Japan) Jodo-Shu sect of Buddhism.
This photo was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 on a small tripod. I shot this photo in RAW. Using the multispot colour balance tool in DxO gave me better white balance than what I could get from the raw converter used in iPhoto & Photos applications. In addition to the multispot colour balance in DxO I also made the following adjustments: the clear view filter was applied; the default DxO camera corrections were applied which removed some pincushion distortion amongst other things; and Micro contrast was increased.
Update: This the 3rd version I've made of this photo. In this version I desaturated the yellow channel by 25% which removed most of the yellow cast in the foreground. I've also run the Prime noise reduction on it which has cleaned up the sky. Finally I sharpened it a bit more.
By the way the light towards the top right is coming from a nearly full moon.

Here's another scene from the Higashiyama Hanatouro, it is one of the five Awata Great Lanterns. According to the Higashiyama Hanatouro flyer, these lanterns are each about four metres high and are from Awata-jinja (a Shinto Shrine). The five lanterns are on display in Maruyama Park during the Higashiyama Hanatouro.
If you haven't seen it already tomorrow night is the last night for this year's Higashiyama Hanatouro. The lights come on from 6:00pm until 9:30pm. If you're staying in or near Kyoto and you're free tomorrow night check it out. The weather is forecast to be fine, with the temperature staying above 10C until 9:30pm, so cool, but not too cold.
The nearest train station to the Hanatouro course is Higashiyama station on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai line, this station is only a couple minutes walk from the northern end of the Hanatouro course. You can also walk to Yasaka-jinja or Maruyama Park from Hankyu's Kawaramachi Station or Keihan's Gion-Shijo Station and start your Hanatouro from there. Another option (although it's a bit of a walk) is to catch the Keihan line to Kiyomizu-Gojo and walk up to start your hanatouro course at Chawan-zaka and from there proceed to Kiyomizu-dera, then head towards Yasaka-jinja. The Southern half of the course between Kiyomizu-dera and Yasaka-jinja has more to see.
This photo was taken during last years Higashiyama Hanatouro. It was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 mounted on a small tripod. Compared to the original image from the camera the contrast has been increased, more definition added and the colour temperature warmed up a little.

A big hello to anyone coming here today for the first time, who received one of my photo cards from me on the bridge over the Kamogawa (Kamo river) on Sanjo-dori in Kyoto today. I hope you're having a great time visiting Kyoto, the weather was fantastic today wasn't it? By the way, I've now handed out all of my March edition photo cards, I'm planning to do one in April. At the moment the Kawazu Zakura (a type of Cherry Blossom) are in bloom in Kyoto, they bloom about 2-3 weeks before the Somei Yoshino Sakura (the most common type of Cherry Blossoms in Japan).
Today I'm featuring another type of Cherry Blossom which is the Shidare Zakura (Weeping Cherry Blossom), these start to bloom as the Somei Yoshino Sakura come to their peak, at times I've photographed them together. They remain in bloom for a little while longer, after the Somei Yoshino Sakura's blooms are over. This photo was taken during the Higashiyama Hanatouro of 2010. That year spring arrived a little earlier than usual and this particular Shidare Zakura on Sannen-Zaka (a narrow street with many traditional shop buildings near Kiyomizu-dera) was in bloom during the last few days of the Higashiyama Hanatouro, I've not seen it in bloom during the Higashiyama Hanatouro since then.
Speaking of the Higashiyama Hanatouro it's on at this very moment until Sunday night (March 23rd). If you're here visiting Kyoto or other near by places on holidays at the moment, make sure you see it. If you're a resident of the Kansai area and you have a free evening, please check it out if you haven't already. Make sure you bring some warm clothes, as it the temperatures in Kyoto can drop fast at this time of year, even if it was warm at the start of the Hanatouro for the evening (6:00pm).
The Higashiyama Hanatouro covers most of the Western face of Higashiyama. Good starting points are: Yasaka-jinja in Gion; From a few blocks east of the number 2 exit of Higashiyama Subway station (there are some signs at the station); Outside of Kiyomizu-dera. Some parts of the Hanatouro course can be crowded, but overall since the Higashiyama Hanatouro course covers a lot more area it never seems quite so crowded as the Arashiyama Hanatouro. If you're able to go on a non public holiday week night, it will probably be even less crowded.
As I was saying March 2010 was warmer than usual, and I remember well the evening I took the photo, the temperature stayed at 17C until late. This photo was taken early that evening at the beginning of my walk on the Hanatouro course, I started outside Kiyomizu-dera that time and walked to Yasaka-jinja. I bought dinner from various food vendors who had set up shop in the grounds of Yasaka-jinja. I remember chatting to a number of people from a diverse range of countries while sitting down to eat, great times, great memories. This photo was captured on Fujicolor PRO 400 film using a Nikon F80 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens mounted on a monopod.

A big hello to people coming here for the first time today after receiving one of my photo cards outside of the Kyoto Tower. I hope you're enjoying your stay in Kyoto and that this site can be of some help in making your time here even better. Letting you know that the Higashiyama Hanatouro is on at the moment, every evening from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto city. The last night is Sunday March 23rd, make sure you don't miss it.
This is my 5th year of going to the Higashiyama Hanatouro (I first went in March 2010), and I still find somethings that surprise me. For some reason over every time I been, I've either started at Kiyomizu-dera and finished at Yasaka-jinja or the other way around. Actually, last year I went to Maruyama Park which is adjacent to the Northern side of Yasaka-jinja, but I had not gone any further North than that. This time, I started at Higashiyama station which is on the subway Tozai line, and near the most northern end of the Hanatouro course and walked south to Yasaka-jinja.
It was my intention to visit Chion-in, but before I got there Sho-ren-in got my attention, because I found that the tree that I took a photo of in 2007, was just outside of it. I spent more than an hour taking photos at Sho-ren-in, there was so much to see. It was there that I found this Torii (Shinto Shrine gate) in a lit up bamboo forest. There are two interesting things about this: Sho-ren-in is a Buddhist Temple, but there is a Shinto Shrine in part of it; also a lit up Bamboo forest is something I associate with the Arashiyama Hanatouro (which happens in a different part of Kyoto in December), rather than with the Higashiyama Hanatouro.
The entry fee to Sho-ren-in, is 800yen. At first this was a bit of a shock, because I only budgeted in paying a total of 1000yen for entry fees that evening. However, after I left there, I thought it was money well spent, it's a huge and truly beautiful place with many diverse lit up scenes. With only 200yen left in my entry fee budget and not so much time remaining until 9:00pm, I decided just to photo things I could see on the streets of Northern Higashiyama for the rest of the evening.
Sho-ren-in is about a 5min walk from Higashiyama Subway Station on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai line. It probably is very pretty by day too, but I haven't yet been inside the grounds during the day.
This photo was taken with a Nikon Coolpix P7100 camera on a small tripod I this photo was captured in RAW (.NRW) format and post processed in DxO Optics Pro. I made the following adjustments: Default Camera Corrections applied; Clear View filter applied; Highlights toned down; Dark areas brightened; Microcontrast increased; and Prime noise reduction applied.

Here is another one of the scenes that you can see at the Higashiyama Hanatouro, which starts this Friday at 6:00pm. This pagoda is part of the Kiyomizu-dera temple complex, and you don't even need to pay to go inside to see this scene. This photo along with the Gion Tower photo are featured on this month's promotional prints. A big hello to you, if you're here for the first time because you received a promotional print from me outside the Kyoto Tower today. Please check back regularly for new Kyoto information and photos, enjoy your stay here and I hope this site helps you with your sightseeing.
I took this photo on my first Higashiyama Hanatouro back in March of 2010, that year I went twice. I recall the first time it was a rather cool evening, but the second time six days later it was a warm evening for March with the temperature around 17C. The weather in March can be quite mixed. Sometimes it can be cold and snowy, other times the temperature can get up to the high teens and stay there all night, there are also the spring rains storms as well. So be prepared for changes in temperature and for rain as well.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D80 and it's kit AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-135f/3.5-5.6G lens. It was taken on the same evening as The West Gate of Yasaka-jinja photo I published here last year. I made the following post processing changes in iPhoto. I toned down the highlights, I boosted the shadow areas, I increased the definition and cooled the white balance slightly.

Here's a photo of Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion) from my archives, there are at least two more in my archives that I wish to publish to this BLOG at a later date. I almost went to Kinkaku-ji last Monday, when I went to Ginkaku-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion). After Ginkaku-ji I caught the bus to Kitano Temangu shrine to check on the "ume" (plum blossoms) there. Kinkaku-ji is not so far away from Kitano Temnagu, so I thought about it, but I decided to go to Arashiyama via the Keifuku light rail instead. Last Monday was my first full day with no classes to teach that I'd had for a good while, so I played tourist and got a few good photos.
This photo was taken back in February of 2010 on a fairly sunny, but cold morning. At the time I was playing tour guide for a couple friends who were staying with us for a week. The good point about going there on a cold morning, was that it wasn't so crowded as it normally is. I recall that day we got talking to the friendly "obasan" (lit. "aunty", a polite way of addressing middle-aged ladies) running the ice cream shop outside Kinkaku-ji. It doesn't matter how cold it is, I still love eating ice cream, especially the "Matcha" (the Local Green Tea) flavoured soft serve in Kyoto.
The quickest way to get to Kinkaku-ji via public transport from downtown Kyoto or Osaka is to catch the 205 bus from outside Hankyu's Saiin Station. You can get the same bus from outside Keifuku's Kitano-Hakubaicho Station, if you're coming from Arashiyama or Ryoan-ji.
I captured this photo with a Casio EX-850 camera. This photo has not been post processed.

Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion) looks similar to Kinkaku-ji (the Temple of the Golden Pavilion), however while more than half of Kinkaku-ji is coated in gold, Ginkaku-ji is not coated in silver. There are a few theories as to why it got its name: some say it's due to the silver of the rock garden near the pavilion; others say it was originally planned to be coated in silver, but the budget blew out; or maybe it was just a nick name given to it because it looks so similar to Kinkaku-ji. Whatever the reason, it's certainly a beautiful temple and it's probably a good thing it's not coated in silver, because it would be a pain to deal with the tarnish!
This photo was actually taken today (March 3rd) which happens to be the day of the Doll Festival (Hina Matsuri) in Japan. The only other time I've been to Ginkaku-ji is around a year and a half ago. Unfortunately on the first time there, I was too late in the day for the good light. This time I checked Google Maps' satellite photograph first to figure out what time of day would be good.
Most Kyoto travel guides tell you to catch a bus all the way from Kyoto station to Ginkaku-ji, don't do that unless you want to spend half your time in Kyoto sitting on a cramped bus slowly chugging it's way through Kyoto's traffic! Here's the fast way: catch a train on the Keihan Main Line to Demachiyanagi; take the exit which goes to the north side of Imadegawa Dori (outside of Shojoin temple); catch a bus from there heading east; it's about a 2.4km bus trip from there in a not so busy part of Kyoto. There are a number of other temples and plenty of interesting and inexpensive restaurants within walking distance from Ginkaku-ji. It's also possible from near Ginkaku-ji to get buses which head west along Imadegawa Dori to places like Kitano Temangu Shrine and Kinkaku-ji on a not so congested route.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. RAW processed with DxO.

If you're going to be in Japan anytime between Friday, March 14th until Sunday, March 23rd, make sure you come to Kyoto for the Higashiyama Hanatouro. If you're a resident of the Kansai area and you haven't yet seen a Hanatouro, make sure you check this one out. I've attended every Arashiyama and Higashiyama Hanatouro since the Arashiyama Hanatouro of December 2009. There's plenty of great photo opportunities and things to do.
The Higashiyama Hanatouro starts each night at 6:00pm and goes until 9:30pm. There are 1000s of lanterns along the streets of Higashiyama, special light ups at temples and shrines, various lit up artworks, and various cultural performances including Geisha dances. The weather tends to be a little warmer than the Arashiyama Hanatouro, but still some nights in March can be cold, so be prepared. The Higashiyama Hanatouro is more spread out, so the routes are usually less congested.
The nearest train station to the Hanatouro course is Higashiyama station on the Kyoto Subway's Tozai line. Three times I used the Hankyu Kyoto Line and got off at Kawaramachi and walk up Shijo-dori to nearby to Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine) to start my way on the course. Twice I've caught the Keihan Main Line to Kiyomizu-Gojo and walked up to outside Kiyomizu temple and started the Hanatouro from there. Actually, any of Kiyomizu-Gojo station, Gion-Shijo station or Sanjo station on the Keihan Main Line are about 5 minutes walk from part of the course.
This photo was taken during the 2011 Hagashiyama Hanatouro. The pagoda is called Yasaka Pagoda, but it's not connected with Yasaka-jinja, it's part of Hokan-ji (a Buddhist Temple). I've also photographed it from a nearby hill on various Hanatouros including this shot. As I did for the Arashiyama Hanatouro, I'm planning to feature my favourite shots from past Higashiyama Hanatouros and hopefully this year's Higashiyama Hanatouro in the days leading up to and during the event. For further information, please check out the official website.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 24f/2.8D lens handheld. This is the jpeg straight from the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

As the weather gets warmer more flowers start to bloom, so there were a few candidates for this month's flower including the peach blossom and the magnolia. In the end I opted for the humble Nanohana (also known as "rapeseed" or "canola") because of the yellow fields full of them during March (it's used to replace nutrients in the rice fields before the rice plantings in May). It is also used as a food: My favourite is tempura Nanohana.
If you have a chance to visit some of the more rural parts of Kyoto during March look for fields of these flowers. Perhaps try photographing some Nanohana with traditional buildings in the background. Or maybe you might find some Nanohana in an arrangement at a temple or a shrine. I'll also challenge myself this year to get some better shots of this beautiful flower which heralds the arrival of the warmer spring weather.
This photo was taken in a medium sized rice field on the outskirts of Nagaokakyo city in Kyoto prefecture. It was taken with a Nikon D80 camera and a Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM lens.

Of the various Tenmangu Shrines that can be found around Kyoto prefecture. Kitano Tenmangu in the Kamigyo ward of Kyoto city is the most famous. Unfortunately this can make it the most crowded too. I recommend going early in the day, if you want to avoid the crowds. The most crowded days of all are the market days on the 25th of each month, while very crowded they do provide a unique atmosphere that you can't experience so often these days. The 25th of February is a special market day, when local Maiko and Geiko (Geisha) visit the shrine. It's one of the few chances you get to see real Geisha (not tourist dressed up as Geisha) in public.
The collection of Ume (plum blossom) trees at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is very extensive, probably the best in Kyoto. There are numerous trees around the grounds. Additionally there is a special garden which cost 600yen to enter, that has a grove of Ume trees. Note there is no entry fee for the shrine itself, only the special garden. This year while some flowers were out on the 26th of February, I didn't bother with going in the special garden, because the bloom wasn't big enough yet. I would say they should peak early next week (say around March 3rd).
Kitano Tengmangu shrine is only five minutes walk from Kitano-Hakubaicho station on the Keifuku line. Another convenient way to get there is to catch the 205 bus from outside of Saiin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto line. The 205 is a frequent bus that runs up to Kinkaku-ji (the Temple of the Golden Pavilion), get off when it tells you "change here for the Keifuku line", one of the few announcements given in English. There is a closer bus stop to the shrine for buses 201 and 50, but I'm not sure if they go past Saiin. I think the 201 goes to Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion), which if you are coming from there or going to there would be a fast way to get between the two places, as it is a northern route that normally doesn't get so congested as other places in Kyoto city.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens with a circular polarising filter. This photo is the jpeg straight from the camera, it has not been post processed.

Fushimi-Inari-taisha (Fushimi-Inari shrine) is famous for it's thousands of orange torii (Shinto shrine gates). It is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, although now-a-days this god is also considered the god of industry. Some might come here to seek a blessing for a business venture. You might mistake Inari for being a fox god because of all of the fox statues around the shrine, but these are the messengers of Inari, in Shinto images of gods are not made.
I've chosen a view of the gates taken from the opposite direction than you'll typically see on most webpages about the shrine or in travel guide books. This photo has been taken in the direction of heading out of the shrine, so that you can see the writing on the gates. This writing is the name of the person or organisation who donated the gate and the date of their donation. All of the gates in the shrine have been donated. The cost for donating a gate starts at around 400,000yen (approximately four thousand US dollars) for a smaller gate. In a way it is a kind of advertising.
There are two railway stations very close to the shrine. Inari station on the JR Nara line, is useful if you're coming from the Kyoto Station area, or connecting from the myriad of other JR trains which stop at Kyoto Station. Fushimi Inari station on the Keihan Main Line is useful if you're coming from downtown Kyoto or Osaka.
To see the spot where the gate frequency is at it's highest is only about a 5 minute walk from the stations. However there are over 4km of torii paths around a mountain, with many small shrines along the way. There are restaurants, snack bars and vending machines too. You can spend the whole day there if you wanted to. About halfway up the mountain there is a spot with a good view of Kyoto and a number of chairs, where you could have a picnic.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. Due to the harsh light contrasts I stopped this photo down by 2/3 of a stop in the camera, in iPhoto I toned down the highlights further and boosted the shadow areas.

So far in this BLOG I've covered a Castle that looks like a Palace (Nijo-jo) and a Shrine that's a replica of an Old Imperial Palace (Heian-jingu). Well, Daikaku-ji is a temple that was an Imperial Palace and then later a villa for retired emperors, before it became a temple. Even now this Buddhist temple still has a connection with the Imperial family as it's chief priest is chosen from the descendants of Prince Gojaku who was a grandson of Emperor Saga. There's also a special gate on the temple which is only used by the Emperor when he makes a visit.
It's interesting that this is a Buddhist temple, when the Japanese Imperial Family is more traditionally connected with the Shinto religion, but in Japan many people follow both religions. Although there have been times in history when there has been a strong separation between the two religions, now-a-days it is a rather blurry line, you can find Shinto shrines inside Buddhist temples for example.
Prominent in this photo is a stone stage which is the remains of the original main hall of the temple. This stage is now used for various performances. In the background on the right side of the photo is the Godai-do Hall which is the new main hall of the temple. In the background on the left is the Yasui-do Hall which was moved here from another location in Kyoto over a hundred years ago.
Daikaku-ji is in the Saga district of Kyoto city's Ukyo ward. The nearest train station is the JR Saga Arashiyama station, which is 17 minutes walk away. If that seems like a too long walk for you, consider taking a taxi from the station. Another possible way of getting there from the centre of Arashiyama is by rickshaw, which you can hire from near the Togetsukyo Bridge.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. This photo is the jpeg straight from the camera, it has not been post processed.

As I noted in the blog at the beginning of this month, Tenmangu Shrines are great places to find plum blossoms (Japanese "Ume"). I can't think of too many other places in Kyoto which have such good collections of plum trees other than the various Tenmangu Shrines. This shot is from Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine in Nagaokakyo city in Kyoto prefecture. This plum tree is one of two right in front of the main worship hall. There are a number of plum trees in various locations around the grounds of the shrine and it's park. Additionally to the side of the shrine grounds there is a plum grove with about 30 plum trees of various varieties.
While the best Ume garden is at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in the Kamigyo ward of Kyoto city, this one at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine is pretty good and a lot less crowded during Ume blossom season. Additionally unlike the more famous place, Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine doesn't charge any fee to view the plum grove. It's worth making the trip out to Nagaokakyo to see these, and you may even meet one or two of the friendly and helpful local photographers, rather than just heaps of tourist as you'll meet at Kitano Tenmangu.
Access to Nagaoka Tenmangu is via the Hankyu line, it's a 13 minute trip on a Hankyu Limited Express (departing every 10 minutes) from Hankyu Kawaramachi station in downtown Kyoto to Nagaokatenjin Station. It's a five minute walk due west from the station to the Shrine (either via Azalea Dori or Tenjin Dori). If you are staying near the JR Kyoto station catch a local JR train to Nagaokakyo (it takes 15mins) and then get a bus or a taxi to the shrine from the west exit of the station.
This photo was taken with a Nikon F80 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens on Fujicolor PRO400 film.

I've made mention of Kyoto's mountains before and today I thought I'd feature Kyoto's highest one, but it's often over looked compared with some of the other mountains. If you are anywhere near Hankyu's Kyoto line in the outer suburbs of Kyoto, on a clear day you probably catch glimpses of Mount Atago (Japanese "Atagoyama") through the buildings. The best place to view it is from Nakanoshima Koen (Nakanoshima Park) in Arashiyama or from a high vantage point elsewhere (like this photo).
Of all of the mountains that surround Kyoto city and it's suburbs, Atago being the highest and located on the western side of the city seems to be the most likely to get a coating of snow. Yet because there is not much in the way of touristy things on it, it's not as famous as the second highest mountain Hieizan which has lots of beautiful temple buildings on it.
Another thing about Atago is that it takes a bit of effort to climb it. Unlike Hiezan there are no roads or cable cars to the top. Even the base of mount Atago is in a bit out of the way place. There is a good hiking trail with stone stairs in places, but it's about a 5 hour return hike to climb it from the nearest bus stop.
Ever since I took this photo in 2009, I'd been wanting to climb it. I heard the best time to climb it is during the Golden Week Holidays (April 29 - May 5). However, it seems I've gotten sick almost every Golden Week, it wasn't until the Golden Week of 2013 that I finally climbed Mount Atago.
I'd say any fine day from mid April to late May would be a good day to climb it. Late September or October might be good as long as you avoid typhoons and check to make sure there are no mud slide warnings in place. The first snows on the mountain often come at the beginning of November. I have friend who climbed it during winter, in parts of it he had to walk through about 20cm of snow cover, if your experienced at that kind of thing and know how to pack and dress for cold weather mountaineering you'll probably be ok. If you take plenty of water with you it's doable during the dry half of summer (from mid July to end of August). I wouldn't recommend climbing it in the summer rainy season (from June to mid July) or any other rainy day.
Make sure you leave early enough to return before dark as there is not much in the way of lighting on the path. There is a special night ascent (from 9pm) on the 31st of July when they light the path up with flaming torches.
Buses No. 62 and No. 72 depart for the base of the Atago trail from Hankyu Arishiyama station with stops near Randen Arashiyama station, JR Saga-Arashiyama station and a few other places along the way. They don't run so frequently though, maybe once an hour. Bus No. 72 actually runs all the way to and from JR Kyoto Station, which is cheaper than a train bus combo if you're coming from the downtown, but do you really want to spend over 2hrs on a cramped city bus stuck in traffic before and/or after hiking a mountain?
This photo was taken with a Nikon D80 and it's kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-135 f/3.5-5.6G lens from a high vantage point in Nagaokakyo city. In iPhoto I increased the contrast, definition, and sharpness. I also decreased the saturation and the highlight levels. The original out of the camera jpeg.

The rock garden at Ryoan-ji (a Zen Buddhist Temple) contains an arrangement of 15 rocks in a rectangular gravel garden bed. It is designed in a way, so that no matter which way you view the garden bed always at least one rock is hidden from your view. The designer and the meaning of the layout of the rocks have been forgotten in history. However it is probably Japan's best Zen garden, so it's worth placing on you must see list when you visit Kyoto.
Unfortunately due to it's fame, it is frequently crowded with droves of noisy school children on excursions (led by tour guides and/or teachers with loudhailers). I've read elsewhere to go early in the morning to avoid the crowds. I can't vouch for this myself in the case of Ryoan-ji, but it is true of other famous temples I've had the chance to visit early in the morning. Ryoan-ji opens at 8:30am.
Ryoan-ji is not far from Kinkaku-ji (the Temple of the Golden Pavilion), about a 20min (1.6km) walk, or a short bus or taxi ride. So if your only in Kyoto for a short while, it's probably worth seeing them both together. Even nearer to Ryoan-ji is Ninna-ji a temple which is worth seeing if you're into Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arrangement).
The Keifuku Kitano line has a station called Ryoanji which is about a 7min walk from the temple. We got a bit lost on the way to the temple from the station, as the the signs weren't so clear, even for the two native Japanese speakers I was with!
This photo was taken with a Nikon D50 camera and the kit AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55f/3.5-5.6G lens. This photo is the jpeg straight from the camera, it has not been post processed.

Tsukudani is made from small pieces of food that have been preserved by cooking in the soy sauce and mirin (a kind of sweet sake). The types of food used can be bits of fish, small prawns, seaweed or other kinds of meat. Tsukudani is served as topping for rice. This is one kind of souvenir gift (known in Japanese as "O-mi-ya-ge") that Japanese people might buy for their family, coworkers and friends if they visit Arashiyama.
I took this photo of the lady closing up the Tsukudani shop for the day, late in the day on a visit to Arashiyama on a cold February afternoon in 2012. I recall after I finished shooting that afternoon I met up with my wife and some of our friends who'd been shopping and sightseeing in Arashiyama and we headed to a famous Udon restaurant for dinner. I remember eating Yuba Udon, which is a must eat in Arashiyama, especially if your a Tofu lover (Yuba is a flat kind Tofu which is made locally in Arashiyama).
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 85f/1.8D lens. This image is exactly how it came out of the camera, no post processing has been done on it.

As I've noted before it's not often that we get an accumulation of snow in the lower lying parts of Kyoto city and surrounding suburbs. When we do get an accumulation it seems to quiet down the place and if the snow comes just before sunrise the results can be very beautiful. This is a photo of a wall of a traditional Kyoto suburban house. The sculptured plants along the wall are azaleas.
This photo was taken back in the winter of 2010-2011 which was the coldest and longest winter we had here. In the next few days there is some cold weather and snow forecasted, so hopefully we might get an accumulation again. If I get a good shot I'll post it up to this blog.
This photo was captured with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. This photo is as it came out of the camera, no post processing has been done on this image.

Known as Ume in Japanese, plum blossoms colours range from whites like these ones to a very deep red. Related to the more famous (in Japan) Sakura (Cherry Blossom), plums are the first of the flowering stone fruit to bloom. The order is Plums, Peaches, Apricots and finally Cherries. Depending on the kind of winter we are having in Kyoto, these flowers can start to bloom between mid to late February.
This photo was taken in the grounds of Nagaoka Tenman-gu Shrine in Nagaokakyo city, Kyoto prefecture. Tenman-gu shrines are dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane who after his death was deified as Tenman-Tenjin (the god of learning). Sugawara's favourite flower was the plum blossom, so Tenman-gu shrines normally feature plum blossoms in amongst the shrine buildings and/or in adjacent groves. One of the most famous plum gardens in Kyoto is at Kitano Tenman-gu, in the Kamigyo ward of Kyoto city.
Sorry I haven't blogged as often as I was doing before. Things are a little busy than I expected them to be for this time of the year, so I haven't had the chance to post as many blogs as I planned.
Also I didn't get the chance to make a limited addition promotional print to hand out in Kyoto during January as I did for both November and December. I'm not sure I'll have time to do one this month either. I really want to try to do them for March and April as we get into nicer weather and there's more tourists about.
This photo was taken way back in my first February (2009) after moving to Kyoto with a Nikon D80 and an an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. This photo was cropped in iPhoto. The bird in the photo is a Meijiro (Japanese White Eye).

Now for something at little abstract to get the ball rolling on this BLOG once again. I've been a little busy for the past week, since the last BLOG. This is a traditional building in a very beautiful street of Kyoto known as Shirakawa-Minami-Dori, which Chris Rowthorn (a long term Kyoto resident who writes for the Lonely Planet) dubbed "Asia's most beautiful street". It's definitely a place to check out on your visit to Kyoto. I've one or two more posts for from Shirakawa-Minami-dori planned for another time.
The reason I've posted this shot which includes a bit of pine tree is that some people consider pine the plant of January in Japan since it is evergreen. This photo was actually taken in January 2012. So if you're in Kyoto in January and it seems all the trees are bare, look for pine trees to include in your photos.
Shirakawa-Minami-Dori is located between the Keihan Gion-Shijo Station and the Keihan Sanjo Station (nearer to the Gion-Shijo Station). If you're using the subway get off on the Tozai Line's Sanjo-keihan stop. It's also not too far from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station if you're using the Hankyu Kyoto line.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 85f/1.8D lens. This image is exactly how it came out of the camera, no post processing has been done on it.

Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu temple) is one of the most famous spots in Kyoto and it's also one of my favourite places to view the sunset, especially during the winter months. If your in Kyoto in the winter, watching the sunset behind Kyoto city from Kiyomizu-dera is a great way to finish off a day of sightseeing. Maybe after that you could have dinner at one of the near by restaurants or take a wander back to Gion through traditional neighbourhoods in the early evening. Just make sure your wear some warm clothing as temperatures in winter can be around 3C or cooler in the evening.
This photo was taken on the same day as the photo of main temple building of Kiyomizu-dera which I posted at the end of December (eight entries ago). I took my friend Mick (who once worked with me in Australia) there, he was staying in Kyoto for a few days as he travelled around parts of Japan. I always love showing Kyoto to others and that's why I'm doing this BLOG.
The view in this sunset photo is nearly the same as the view in the sunrise photo I took about 13months prior to this photo.
This this photo was captured in with a Nikon D700 and an AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. In iPhoto I cropped off a bit of the sky, increased the definition and sharpness, brightened the shadow areas and warmed white balance.

Today’s photo was not taken during winter, if you look carefully at the clothing the people in the shot were wearing you’ll notice it’s not winter clothing. The reason I’m posting it up today, is a couple of weeks ago we had some friends from overseas staying with us and I was showing them some photos of a particular part of Kyoto as they were planning their activities, and one of them liked this shot. Also apart from the clothing the people are wearing in this shot, it pretty much looks the same during winter.
These shops are in a more traditional part of Kyoto known as Gion. Actually this shot was taken from just outside the gate of Yasaka-jinja in Gion. Not every building in Gion is traditional looking, but there are a number of spots in Gion where you can experience a bit of the old Kyoto. If you’re coming to Kyoto make sure you include a walk around Gion, by day or night on your itinerary.
If you’re going to be in or near Kyoto from March 14th to 23rd this year, make sure you don’t miss the Higashiyama Hanatouro (which includes some parts of Gion) when the traditional buildings are lit up beautifully at night and special lanterns line the streets. As I did with the sister event the Arashiyama Hanatouro in December, I’m planning to feature a few shots from past and hopefully this years Higashiyama Hanatouros.
The nearest train stations to Gion include: Higashiyama and Sanjo Keihan on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai line; Gion-Shijo and Sanjo on the Keihan Main line; and Kawaramachi on the Hankyu Kyoto Line.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 and an AF Nikkor 85f/1.8D lens handheld.

While the winters in Kyoto can seem long and cold (especially for me, since I come from Perth, Australia), snow accumulation events are rare in Kyoto city and the surrounding suburbs. Generally the winter temperatures range between about 0-8C in Kyoto city, meaning when it does snow it usually melts as soon as it touches something. The winter of 2010-2011 was a very cold winter indeed and it was on one January morning that I awoke and looked out of my window to find the streets covered in a thin coating of snow. So, I quickly put some warm clothes on and grabbed the camera and went outside to photo it.
I headed for the higher ground, knowing that there would probably be more snow accumulated there. On the way back from photoing some of those places, I walked past a small Buddhist temple known as Nyoen-ji and took this shot through the gate of the snow covered garden within. This temple is located near the new Hankyu Nishiyama-Tennozan in Nagaokakyo city train station, although at the time, that station didn't exist. The temple doesn't seem to be open to the public, but I've taken photos through the gate on various occasions. The only other thing I know about this temple is that it sometimes displays advertisements for events at Youkoku-ji (which is about 1km away from this temple) on the gate, so perhaps it is connected to that temple in some way.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D700 camera and an AF Nikkor 35f/2D lens. In iPhoto I brightened the shadow areas and darkened the highlights.